Benny Napoleon

Benny Nelson Napoleon (September 10, 1955 – December 17, 2020) was an American attorney, law enforcement officer, and politician who served as the Sheriff of Wayne County, Michigan. He was also a 2013 candidate for the office of Mayor of Detroit.[1]

Benny N. Napoleon
Wayne County Sheriff
In office
July 6, 2009 – December 17, 2020
Preceded byWarren Evans
Succeeded byRaphael Washington
Chief of the Detroit Police Department
In office
July 1998 – July 15, 2001
MayorDennis Archer
Preceded byIsaiah McKinnon
Succeeded byCharles Wilson
Personal details
Born(1955-09-10)September 10, 1955
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died (aged 65)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseLisa Cunningham (divorced)
EducationMercy College of Detroit (BA)
Detroit College of Law (JD)
ProfessionPolice officer
Websitebennynapoleon.com

Early life and education

Born in Detroit in 1955, he was one of seven children of his mother Betty and father Harry Napoleon, who was a minister. Napoleon graduated from Cass Technical High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Detroit Mercy and Juris Doctor from the Detroit College of Law.[2]

Career

Napoleon entered the Detroit Police Department in 1975. He was also a member of the Detroit Police basketball team that played in international police tournaments in Ontario, Canada from 1978 to 1980. He served as Detroit Police Chief from 1998 to 2001 under Dennis Archer. In 2004, he was made Assistant Wayne County Executive, and in 2009, he became Wayne County Sheriff.[3]

2013 Detroit Mayoral election
Main article: 2013 Detroit mayoral election

A Democrat, Napoleon entered Detroit politics in 2013, announcing his intentions to run for mayor in the city's non-partisan primary to replace Dave Bing, who announced he would not seek re-election after the appointment of an emergency manager for the city.[4][5] During the primary campaign, he referred to himself as a "businessman with a badge".[6] Napoleon placed second in the primary despite his most serious competition,[7] former Wayne County Prosecutor and Detroit Medical Center CEO Mike Duggan having to run as a write-in candidate,[8] and lost the mayoral race to Duggan on November 5, 2013.[9]

FBI investigation

In December 2017, the Detroit Free Press obtained the FBI's wiretap transcripts that were unsealed in U.S. District Court. The investigation is linked to a corruption case against Gasper Fiore, the owner of Boulevard & Trumbull Towing, a large City of Detroit contractor. In December 2017, Fiore entered into a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office, in which he agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.[10]

According to court documents, the government has probable cause that Fiore and 17 other targets were involved in several crimes, including: extortion, wire fraud, bribery, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana.[10] FBI Special Agent Robert Beeckman wrote in a wire tap request document reviewed by the Detroit News that "Evidence has been gathered showing that crimes involving corruption have been committed by some of the target subjects, including Napoleon."[11] No charges were ever filed on Mr. Napoleon.

Illness and death

In November 2020, it was announced that Napoleon had tested positive for COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan. He was admitted to a local hospital on November 21 and placed on a ventilator.[12] On December 17, after various sources reported that Napoleon had died, his family released a statement on Facebook that Napoleon remained in stable condition.[13] Napoleon died later on December 17, 2020.[14][15]

References
  1. "Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon dies at age 65 after battle with COVID-19". WXYZ. 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  2. Gray, Kathleen; Ives, Mike (2020-12-18). "Benny Napoleon, Michigan Sheriff and Ex-Detroit Police Chief, Dies at 65". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  3. "Bio of Benny Napoleon". Huffington Post.
  4. Matt Helms (March 26, 2013). "Benny Napoleon kicks off bid to be Detroit's next mayor". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  5. "Bing won't seek re-election as Detroit mayor". The Big Story. Archived from the original on 2013-06-25.
  6. @BennyNapoleon (5 August 2013). "I am a business man with a badge, and together we will transform this city one square mile at a time..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. Sarah Cwiek; Steve Carmody (August 7, 2013). "Duggan makes history with winning write-in campaign; Napoleon rallies supporters". Michigan Radio. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  8. "Mike Duggan will run for Detroit mayor as write-in candidate". FOX 2 Detroit. June 28, 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-09-13. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  9. Ashley Woods (November 6, 2013). "Mike Duggan Becomes Detroit's First White Mayor In 40 Years". Huffington Post. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  10. Tresa Baldas and Keith Matheny (29 December 2017). "FBI wiretaps reveal how towing titan Fiore built his empire". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  11. Ikonomova, Violet (29 December 2017). "Reports: Detroit city councilman and former state rep. targeted in public corruption probe". Detroit Metro Times. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  12. Khan, Nisa. "Wayne County Sheriff Napoleon on ventilator during COVID-19 fight". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  13. "Family of Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon continue to 'enlist prayers' for his recovery". WXYZ. 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  14. "Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon dies at 65 from COVID-19". FOX 2 Detroit. 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  15. "Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon dies from COVID-19". WDIV. 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
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